Safety razor



Dec. l l

, 931. J. R. WAT-rs SAFETY RAZOR Filed Feb. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESS ATTORNEY De@ 1, 1931. J R WATTS 1,834,813

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Feb. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESS? BYJ/E ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN ROBERT WATTS, oFsHEFFELD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN WATTS (SHEF- f- FIELD AND LONDON) LIMITED, OF'v SHEFFIELD, YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND, A CORPORA- TION OF GREAT BRITAIN SAFETY RAZOR 1 "App1caton filed l'sebruary 14, 1929, -Seral No. 339,888,fand in Great Britain February 21, 1928.

Thisinvention appertains to improvements in safety razors, and has 'for an obj ect toprovide an extremelyv simplified construction and A arrangement of parts as to greatly facilitate the changing of blades without dismantling theentire holder as'has heretofore and often been .required for the purpose. Y

Another object'of the invention is to .pro-

vide a safety razor as hereinbefore characterized, which embodies a `means whereby the blade holder kproper of the razor may be readily and easily adjusted to a desired angular relation with respect to 'the connected end of the handle portion, whereby the manipulation of the razor will be greatly facilitated and in a manner to assure .of a more I uniform shaving of the varying contours of the face and neck of the user. If desired, the handle clamping nut may comprise a sleeve-like portion containingla spring tending to move the clamping sleeve towards the handle `pivot so that a more gradual adjustment ofthe handle clamping Inaybe` effected.

With the Iforegoingand other equallyimportant objects and advantages in view, the invention resides inthe certain new and useful combination, construction and arrangement of parts as :will be hereinafter more i so fully described, set forth in the appended claims/,and illustrated in'the accompanying drawings,`in which: Figure 1 is an elevationof a safety razor according to the present invention,

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section 'of Figure 1', 0n the line '2-2, Figure 3 is a ,plan of Figure 1, f Y

Figure 4 is a detached view of the ypivoted l portion of the handle and its pivot spindle, 4D Figure 5 is a front elevation, partly in section,'ofa modified form of the device,

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken onl the 'line 6`-'-'6 of'Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the said '725 modified form, and- Figure 8 is adetached view'of'the clamp.- ing sleeve. Y Referring to the drawings, wherein 'like vcharacters of reference designate correspond- 5o ingparts throughout the several viewsthereof, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, the embodiment of the invention, as shown therein by way of example, includes a blade 11 removably supported on one side of a holder 12 and a pair of angled arms 13 extending from its other side; the said arms being substantially L-shaped and having their longer portions secured to `the 'holder 12 in spaced relation and in the plane ofthe longitudinal center thereof, so that the shorter arm portions 17 are inturned toward each other and lie parallel to the adjacent side of the holder. A handle is to be engaged with the arm portions y17 and is to bemade up of a bolt or shank 14, a clamping sleeve 15, and an enlongatednut 16, the latter constituting the handle proper.

The blade 11, which may be either single or double edged, is to be clamped in position on the holder 12 by a screw device comprising abolt 18 passing throughthe holder and having a suitably shaped clamp .head 19 on its outer end and a nut 2O on its inner end; the latter being vhoused `within the vspace formed between the arms 13 andthe angled portions 17.

The blade clamping bolt 18 is preferably a T-headed one, the head 19, at its'outer end, passing through a slot 21 in the blade 11 and engaging the blade vby a partial 'turning movement as shown in Figure 3. Preferably, the head 19 is made from a strip of spring metal which is bowed in an upward direction, so that its ends will bear on the blade 11 (as shown in Figure 2') when properly positioned. With this arrangement, the amount of clamping effort or grip exerted by the nut `2O may be more easily and better adj usted than when a rigid head is provided for the bolt 18, while any tendency for the boltto 90 rotate, as the ynut is tightened, will be prevented after the ends of the headvcome into contact with the blade.

The nut 20 is preferably rotatably attached to the holder 12 by means of a hollow cylindrical axial extension 22 passing through an aperture in the holder 12 and upset,-as indicated at 23, ina recess surrounding the aperture.

In ythis manner, when the nut 2O is loosened, the bolthead 19 'will be positively 4100 moved away from the blade 11, thus considerably facilitating removal of the blade. The nut will also thus always be in the position illustrated and will not be liable to move towards the pivoted handle, which would otherwise limit the full range of movement of thelatter. Further, the blade may be removed for cleaning, stropping or renewal purposes, without detaching any other part,

thereby not only facilitating the operation, but avoiding risk of damaging 'the bladeV edges by contact with other detachable parts.

The correct position of the blade 11, in relation to the guards or combs 24 carried by the holder12, is ensured byfpositioning'pins 25 engaging holes in the blade in the usual manner. Thesepositioning pins 25 are provided by the ends ofthe arms 13 passing through and upset on the holder 12, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5. The shank portion 14 is provided with a head orlange 2G, formed with bearing surfaces 27 at the opposite ends of its lower side I(as shown in Figure 2), for engagement therewith of the free ends of the shorter arm portions 17 and the adjacent edge of the clamping sleeve 15 in also formed with like bearing surfaces 28. These companion bearing surfaces 27 and28 act to increase the clamping action ofthe head or flange 26 and the sleeve 15on the pivot arms 17, when the handle nut 16 is tightened on the shank 14.,

In themodiiication illustrated in Figures 5 to Sinclusive, the positioning pins 25 and arm portions 13 and 17 are all made by differ ent bent portions of one length of wire or rod. In this instance,y the head portion 26 ofthe shank 14fis formed with ai lateral opening or recess 29 (which corresponds to the underside of the vhead or flange portion 26 aforesaid) leading to a bearing surface l27 vwhich is formed at one vend of a longitudinal slot 30'in the part 14 adjacent the head. The arm part 17 may thus pass through the lateral opening 29 and be brought to the bearing surface 27 by relatively moving the parts, after slacking off the handle nut 16 and moving the sleeve 15 toexpose the opening 29.

AThe arm part 17 may be'retained in contact with they bearing surface 27 by the bearing surfaces28 (Figure 8) on the edge of the .clamping sleeve 15 when brought into the position shown in Figures 5 and 6 inwhich position thesleeve covers and closes the opening 29. l d

v, `VVhenthe blade 11 is of substantial thickfness,fthe.holde r 12 is preferablyrecessed longitudinally as shown in Figure 6 to correspond with the shape ofthe blade and to I*bring its edges into the desired proximity to the guards or combs 24'of the holder 12.

. If desired the blade 11, when of sufficient .thickness may be formed with a circular re# cess 31 (Figures 6 and 7) to receivethe head 19 of the blade clampingbolt,the slot 21 being formed in the base of the recess 31. In this manner the projection of the head v19 above the surface of the blade 11 is reduced or such projection may be altogether avoided.

VBy the employment of the invention with a sti blade, the blade may be removed from the holder for cleaning,stropping or renewal, without detaching any other part, by merely loosening the blade clamping nut 20and turning the boltV head 19 to registerwith the slot 21 in the blade. For ordinary use and maintenance, therefore, it willbe unnecessary to separate the tool into more'than two parts, the blade and the holder assembly. t

vWithout further-description, itis thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be' readily apparent to those skilled in the' art, and it will of course be understood that change-s in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, 'without' departing from the spirit of the invention'or its scope as claimed.

Having thus fully described the invention, whatI is claimed isi 1 1. A safety razor comprising a bladel holder, an angularly adjustable support offset at one side of said holder, a sleeve having oppositely arrangedv bearing surfaces in its up per end, a shank adapted to be inserted through said sleeve'said shank having a recess in one side of the upper end thereof, said bearing surfacesbeing adapted to cooperate with the .said recess toseat the said Vholder supportin place, anda clamp member adapted for engagement with the lower end of said shank and the adjacent end of said sleeve to secure saidholder support rigidly in position after an angular adjustment thereof.

2. A safety razorcomprising a. blade holder, an angularly adjustablesupport for said holder,` saidy support beingv substantially kU- shaped and having its connected portion eX- tending parallel to .said holder to form a pivot, 'a sleeve having oppositely arranged bearing surfaces in its upper end, a shank adapted to be insertedthrough said sleeve. said shank having a recess in one side of the upper end thereof, bearing surfaces cooperative with the said recess to seat the said connected portion of the holdersupport in place, and an elongatedrclamp nut in `screw threaded engagement with the lower-end of said shank and adapted to be tightenedV against the adjacent end of said sleeve to secure the said connected portion of the holder support rigidly in position. after an angular adjustment thereof. f

3. A safety razor comprisinga blade holder, a substantially U-shaped support having the free ends of its opposite leg portions secured to the lower side of said holder, a blade clamp adapted to overlie a blade on the upper side. of said holder, means carried by said holder and housed lwithin the confines of -saidsupport for securing said. blade clamp in place, a sleeve having oppostely arranged bearing surfaces in its upper edge, a shank adapted to be passed through said sleeve and having a recess n one side of its upper end and Cooperative with the said bearing surfaces of said sleeve to pivotally engage over the connected part of said support, and an elongated member adapted for engagement With the lower ends of said shank and sleeve to secure said support rigidly n position after an angular adjustment thereof relative to said shank.

JOHN ROBERT WATTS. 

